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Abstract Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is a molecular imaging method commonly used to diagnose and differentiate Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study aimed to evaluate the performance of PET/CT with 11C-2β-Carbomethoxy-3β-(4-fluorophenyl) tropane (11C-CFT) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) tracers in the differential diagnosis between PD, multiple system atrophy parkinsonian type (MSA-P), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and vascular parkinsonism (VP) using the data of 220 patients with clinical PD-like symptoms. Of the 220 enrolled patients, 166 (PD, n = 80; MSA-P, n = 54; PSP, n = 15; VP, n = 17) completed the motor, cognitive and PET/CT assessment and were included in this study. 11C-CFT and 18F-FDG PET/CT images were analyzed using the SNBPI toolbox and CortexID Suite software. The uptake values of 11C-CFT and 18F-FDG PET/CT were compared among the groups after controlling for covariates using generalized linear models. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to estimate the diagnostic values. Patients with PSP showed the most significant reduction on 11C-CFT PET/CT, while patients with PD and MSA-P showed similar reductions, and patients with VP did not show any significant reduction in 11C-CFT uptake. The areas under the curve (AUCs) for 11C-CFT PET/CT for distinguishing PD from VP, PSP, and MSA-P were 0.902, 0.830, and 0.580, respectively, and 0.728 for distinguishing advanced-stage PD from PSP. On 18F-FDG PET/CT, the AUCs for distinguishing PD from PSP and MSA-P were 0.968 and 0.963, respectively. These results suggest that 11C-CFT and 18F-FDG PET/CT complement each other in improving the accuracy in differential diagnosis of PD.

Abstract Soybean is a photoperiod-sensitive staple crop. Its photoperiodic flowering has major consequences for latitudinal adaptation and grain yield. Here, we identify and characterise a flowering locus named Time of flower 4b (Tof4b), which encodes E1-Like b (E1Lb), a homologue of the key soybean floral repressor E1. Tof4b protein physically associates with the promoters of two FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) genes to repress their transcription and delay flowering to impart soybean adaptation to high latitudes. Three E1 homologues undergo subfunctionalisation and show differential subcellular localisation. Moreover, they all possess self-repression capability and each suppresses the two homologous counterparts. Subfunctionalisation and the transcriptional regulation of E1 genes collectively finetune flowering time and high-latitude adaptation in soybean. We propose a model for the functional fate of the three E1 genes after the soybean whole-genome duplication events, refine the molecular mechanisms underlying high-latitude adaption, and provide a potential molecular-breeding resource.

Parkinson's disease (PD) ranks as the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder globally, marked by a complex pathogenesis. Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) emerges as a crucial factor during the progression of PD. Belonging to the lipocalin family, LCN2 is integral to several biological functions, including glial cell activation, iron homeostasis regulation, immune response, inflammatory reactions, and oxidative stress mitigation. Substantial research has highlighted marked increases in LCN2 expression within the substantia nigra (SN), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and blood of individuals with PD. This review focuses on the pathological roles of LCN2 in neuroinflammation, aging, neuronal damage, and iron dysregulation in PD. It aims to explore the underlying mechanisms of LCN2 in the disease and potential therapeutic targets that could inform future treatment strategies.

Abstract Major cereal crops have benefitted from Green Revolution traits such as shorter and more compact plants that permit high-density planting, but soybean has remained relatively overlooked. To balance ideal soybean yield with plant height under dense planting, shortening of internodes without reducing the number of nodes and pods is desired. Here, we characterized a short-internode soybean mutant, reduced internode 1 (rin1). Partial loss of SUPPRESSOR OF PHYA 105 3a (SPA3a) underlies rin1. RIN1 physically interacts with two homologs of ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5), STF1 and STF2, to promote their degradation. RIN1 regulates gibberellin metabolism to control internode development through a STF1/STF2–GA2ox7 regulatory module. In field trials, rin1 significantly enhances grain yield under high-density planting conditions comparing to its wild type of elite cultivar. rin1 mutants therefore could serve as valuable resources for improving grain yield under high-density cultivation and in soybean–maize intercropping systems.

Abstract The signal recognition particle (SRP) system delivers approximately 30% of the proteome to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. SRP receptor alpha (SRα) binds to SRP for targeting nascent secreted proteins to the ER membrane in eukaryotic cells. In this study, the SRα homologous gene was identified in the sea cucumber, Apostichopus japonicus (AjSRα). AjSRα codes for 641 amino acids and has 54.94% identity with its mammalian homologs. Like mammalian SRα, it is expected to contain the SRP-alpha N domain, SRP54_N domain, and SRP54 domain. In addition, AjSRα is ubiquitously expressed in adult tissues and exhibits a sexually dimorphic expression pattern, with significantly higher expression in ovaries compared to testes. As a maternal factor, AjSRα can be continuously detected during embryonic development. Importantly, we first attempted to investigate its function by using lentiviral vectors for delivering SRα gene-specific shRNA, and we revealed that lentiviral vectors do not induce an upregulation of immune-related enzymes in sea cucumbers. However, compared to the dsRNA-based RNA interference (RNAi) method, lentivirus-mediated RNAi caused dynamic changes in gene expression at a later time. This study supplied the technical support for studying the functional mechanism of SRα in sea cucumbers.

The germ cell-less gene belongs to the BTB/POZ protein-family, whose structural domain plays an important role in the occurrence of mammalian gonads as it specifically combines with other DNA proteins. In this study, a unigene annotated as germ cell-less (Ajgcl) was screened from the gonadal genome of Apostichopus japonicus (sea cucumber) through homology. The full-length Ajgcl cDNA sequence was obtained by 5' and 3' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Subsequently, we analyzed the expression characteristic of germ cell-less in A. japonicus using several methods, including multiple sequence alignment, phylogenetic analysis, and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The results showed that germ cell-less attaches to the BTB/POZ superfamily. The full-length cDNA of Ajgcl was 2 316 bp, which contained a 725 bp 3'UTR, a 139 bp 5'UTR, and a 1 455 bp open reading frame (ORF), encoding a protein of 484 amino acids including a conservative BTB/POZ domain. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that germ cell-less was expressed in the ovary, testis, intestines, stomach, longitudinal muscle, respiratory tree, tube feet, and coelomocyte. Remarkably, the expression level in the ovary was the highest and 2.25 times that in the testis. Moreover, as a maternal factor, germ cell-less was expressed throughout embryonic development. During ovarian development, the expression of germ cell-less in growing stage 2 was slightly elevated, but when the ovum developed into mature stage 3, the expression level was significantly down-regulated. It was not until the end of gametogenesis that its expression level returned to its original level. The expression of germ cell-less did not change significantly throughout the developmental stages of the testis. In addition, the online tool Match was used to predict the transcription factor binding sites in the germ cell-less promoter of A. japonicus. Subsequently, a total of 12 transcription factor binding sites were projected, namely Oct-1, FOXD3, PAX-6, CRP, c-Myb and NF-1. Notably, there were four Oct-1 binding sites between -1890 and -608. The characteristics of germ cell-less gene promoter were obtained, and germ cell-less was shown to be a germ cell marker gene for A. japonicus. This study provides data for future studies related to germ cell development in A. japonicus.

In order to investigate the fracture behavior of the ZK60 Mg alloy rolling under different stress triaxiality, the different nominal stress triaxiality samples were well-designed, and the in-situ DIC tensile tests were carried out. The finite element method (FEM) model was validated by experimental results and the stress triaxiality evolution of samples was determined by modeling. The fracture strain of the ZK60 Mg alloy was non-monotonic with the nominal stress triaxiality increase and the best deformation performance of the central hole sample was indicated via the experimental and modeling results. The low stress triaxiality gradient of the central hole sample led to better deformation performance in terms of the macroscopic mechanical response. The transformation of the fracture mechanism from shear transgranular fracture to intergranular fracture and then to transgranular fracture during the stress triaxiality increased from 0 to 2/3 and was revealed via scanning electron microscope (SEM) characterization and FEM modeling. To further confirm the above fracture mechanism, X-ray computed tomography (XCT) was carried out to characterize the micro damage volume fraction and morphology. Due to the transgranular fracture induced by the high stress triaxiality at the initial fracture position of the central hole sample, the micro damage was smaller, delaying the fracture failure and achieving higher strain.

In the realm of plant biology, small RNAs (sRNAs) are imperative in the orchestration of gene expression, playing pivotal roles across a spectrum of developmental sequences and responses to environmental stressors. The biosynthetic cascade of sRNAs is characterized by an elaborate network of enzymatic pathways that meticulously process double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) precursors into sRNA molecules, typically 20 to 30 nucleotides in length. These sRNAs, chiefly microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), are integral in guiding the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) to selectively target messenger RNAs (mRNAs) for post-transcriptional modulation. This regulation is achieved either through the targeted cleavage or the suppression of translational efficiency of the mRNAs. In plant development, sRNAs are integral to the modulation of key pathways that govern growth patterns, organ differentiation, and developmental timing. The biogenesis of sRNA itself is a fine-tuned process, beginning with transcription and proceeding through a series of processing steps involving Dicer-like enzymes and RNA-binding proteins. Recent advances in the field have illuminated the complex processes underlying the generation and function of small RNAs (sRNAs), including the identification of new sRNA categories and the clarification of their involvement in the intercommunication among diverse regulatory pathways. This review endeavors to evaluate the contemporary comprehension of sRNA biosynthesis and to underscore the pivotal role these molecules play in directing the intricate performance of plant developmental processes.

Shotcrete mortar is an imperative material for tunnel surface supporting. The mine environment with different temperature affects the mechanical development of mortar, resulting in a difficult to predict its compressive strength development at high temperature. In this investigation, the compressive strength, hydration heat, mineral evolution, pore content of mortar samples at 20 and 60 °C, containing partial steel slag powder, were comprehensively compared by experiment and simulation in order to provide a reliable approach for underground materials compressive strength prediction. Results show that the compressive strength development of the samples cured at 20 and 60 °C, is consisted with the corresponding cumulative hydration heat, and the correlation coefficient is higher than 0.96. The hydrates and heat of the samples are significantly affected by the cement type, mineral admixture, and temperature. Indeed, increasing temperature significantly accelerates the minerals’ hydration and heat release. Combining the composition, pore and single mineral hydration heat simulation, the mortar compressive strength development of the mortar in deep mine can be predicted by a thermodynamic model.

Abstract Color-changeable fibers can provide diverse functions for intelligent wearable devices such as novel information displays and human–machine interfaces when woven into fabric. This work develops a low-cost, effective, and scalable strategy to produce thermochromic fibers by wet spinning. Through a combination of different thermochromic microcapsules, flexible fibers with abundant and reversible color changes are obtained. These color changes can be clearly observed by the naked eye. It is also found that the fibers exhibit excellent color-changing stability even after 8000 thermal cycles. Moreover, the thermochromic fibers can be fabricated on a large scale and easily woven or implanted into various fabrics with good mechanical performance. Driven by their good mechanical and physical characteristics, applications of thermochromic fibers in dynamic colored display are demonstrated. Dynamic quick response (QR) code display and recognition are successfully realized with thermochromic fabrics. This work well confirms the potential applications of thermochromic fibers in smart textiles, wearable devices, flexible displays, and human–machine interfaces. Graphical Abstract

The feasibility of using recycled concrete powder (RCP) as fillers in asphalt mortar is investigated in this study, to achieve a sustainable and economical asphalt production. The differences in physical properties between limestone powder (LSP) and RCP are analyzed and compared. Moreover, the interactions of LSP and RCP with asphalt are studied as well. The properties of asphalt mortar studied include ductility, softening point, penetration, viscous and elastic behaviors of asphalt mortar. Compared to LSP, the RCP presented a rougher surface, additional pores, more complex pore structures, larger Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) surface areas, and smaller particle size. At 0.6 and 0.9 of filler-to-asphalt weight ratio (F/A), the RCP is more effective for the performance enhancement of asphalt mortar compared with the LSP. When the F/A is 0.9 and LSP is completely replaced by RCP, the 15 °C penetration index (PI) and ductility of asphalt mortar decrease by 9.3% and 29.2% respectively. The softening point increases by 5.4%. By contrast, the RCP causes a considerable decrease in PI, equivalent brittle point (T1.2) and ductility when F/A ratio is 1.2. After RCP completely replace LSP, the PI, T1.2, and ductility of asphalt mortar decrease by 47.1%, 44.0%, and 29.0%, respectively. However, at F/A of 0.6, the asphalt mortar with 100% RCP replacement ratio presented both acceptable ductility and plasticity. Under the same temperature and F/A, the complex shear modulus G* and rutting resistance factor G* /sinδ of asphalt mortar raise with the increase of RCP replacement, which indicates that the RCP can better enhance the high-temperature rutting resistance of asphalt mortar than the counterpart LSP. It also implies that the modification of LSP and RCP in asphalt mortar mainly depends on the physical interactions rather than the chemical reactions.

The pursuit of efficient cathode catalysts to improve cycle stability at ultra-high rates plays an important role in boosting the practical utilization of Li-O2 batteries. Featured as industrial solid waste, coal gangue with rich electrochemical active components could be a promising candidate for electrocatalysts. Here, a coal gangue/Ti3C2 MXene hybrid with a TiO2/SiCx active layer is synthesized and applied as a cathode catalyst in Li-O2 batteries. The coal gangue/Ti3C2 MXene hybrid has a tailored amorphous/crystalline heterostructure, enhanced active TiO2 termination, and a stable SiCx protective layer; thereby, it achieved an excellent rate stability. The Li-O2 battery, assembled with a coal gangue/Ti3C2 MXene cathode catalyst, was found to obtain a competitive full discharge capacity of 3959 mAh g−1 and a considerable long-term endurance of 180 h (up to 175 cycles), with a stable voltage polarization of 1.72 V at 2500 mA g−1. Comprehensive characterization measurements (SEM, TEM, XPS, etc.) were applied; an in-depth analysis was conducted to reveal the critical role of TiO2/SiCX active units in regulating the micro-chemical constitution and the enhanced synergistic effect between coal gangue and Ti3C2 MXene. This work could provide considerable insights into the rational design of catalysts derived from solid waste gangue for high-rate Li-O2 batteries.

With the improvement of people’s living standard, the number of patients with thromboembolism is increasing gradually. Among the existing thrombotic drugs, nattokinase attracts great attention due to its advantages of long half-life, strong specificity, small side effects, and can be taken orally directly. Based on the related research results at home and abroad, the structure features of nattokinase, the fibrinolytic activity and the mechanism of action of antithrombotic activity of NK are described. Also, the hard work in strain breeding, strain transformation for higher enzyme yield or better enzyme character and medium optimization are also summarized. Moreover, the physiological function of nattokinase are expounded. Finally, the challenges and future development trends of nattokinase application are prospected in order to provide theoretical basis for further research on nattokinase.

Background and Purpose: A recently developed biology-guided radiotherapy platform, equipped with positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT), provides both anatomical and functional image guidance for radiotherapy. This study aimed to characterize performance of the kilovoltage CT (kVCT) system on this platform using standard quality metrics measured on phantom and patient images, using CT simulator images as reference. Materials and Methods: Image quality metrics, including spatial resolution/modular transfer function (MTF), slice sensitivity profile (SSP), noise performance and image uniformity, contrast-noise ratio (CNR) and low-contrast resolution, geometric accuracy, and CT number (HU) accuracy, were evaluated on phantom images. Patient images were evaluated mainly qualitatively. Results: On phantom images the MTF10% is about 0.68 lp/mm for kVCT in PET/CT Linac. The SSP agreed with nominal slice thickness within 0.7 mm. The diameter of the smallest visible target (1% contrast) is about 5 mm using medium dose mode. The image uniformity is within 2.0 HU. The geometric accuracy tests passed within 0.5 mm. Relative to CT simulator images, the noise is generally higher and the CNR is lower in PET/CT Linac kVCT images. The CT number accuracy is comparable between the two systems with maximum deviation from the phantom manufacturer range within 25 HU. On patient images, higher spatial resolution and image noise are observed on PET/CT Linac kVCT images. Conclusions: Major image quality metrics of the PET/CT Linac kVCT were within vendor-recommended tolerances. Better spatial resolution but higher noise and better/comparable low contrast visibility were observed as compared to a CT simulator when images were acquired with clinical protocols.

Electric vehicle is the key technology to tackle the issue of energy and emissions, a great number of EVs connected to the grid will negatively impact on the economic operation of the grid. Based on the statistics of electric vehicle travel rules, this paper used NSGA-II multi-objective optimization algorithm to establish a regional electricity price model. The goal is to reduce the peak load through electricity consumption time and ensure the interests of operators, The effectiveness of the algorithm is verified by an example of a certain area in Shandong Province. The algorithm did not change the space–time distribution of existing charging stations, and only used the regional electricity price to adjust the charging load of electric vehicles, which has high practical significance.

At present, the packing method of “plastic bag–buffer packing–packing paper box” is adopted for bearing packaging. However, the common packing method has a poor packing effect and poor versatility. In this study, a new biomimetic cobweb cushion is proposed to solve the problem of insufficient cushioning capacity of high-precision bearing cushion packaging pads. First, according to the nature of cobweb form, the cobweb cushion structure configuration is determined. Next, based on the structure of the cushion and the relationship between the parameters of radial thread and spiral thread, a mechanical and target optimization model is established. The stress nephogram of bearing and the cobweb cushion are analyzed under three drop heights of 381, 610, and 700 mm, in the finite element simulation software to ensure that the maximum bearings stress is not beyond the material yield strength. Via the 3D printing technology, a cobweb cushion shell cast is made. Drop tests of the bearing were performed, and the results were verified with the finite element simulation analysis. This research can provide technical support for the protection of high-precision bearings from accidental drops during transportation.

The lignocellulosic biomass wastes cause some burden on the environment; meanwhile, the concrete industry is faced with large amounts of carbon dioxide emissions and raw mineral materials consumption. The use of lignocellulosic biomass wastes in cementitious materials not only provides an alternative to deal with the wastes but also favors the sustainable development of concrete industry. This review first introduces the characteristics of lignocellulosic biomass and then examines its effect on the mechanical properties, shrinkage, cracking, and some other properties of cement composites. Results show that lignocellulosic biomass can be directly used for three purposes: reinforcements, aggregates, and cement replacements. Although the lignocellulosic biomass cannot always enhance the mechanical properties of cementitious materials, it can improve toughness, shrinkage, cracking, heat insulation, etc. Additionally, some concerns with the use of lignocellulosic biomass are summarized, for which some physical and chemical modification methods (heating treatment, boiling treatment, torrefaction treatment, etc.) are identified to change the structure or remove amorphous components of lignocellulose biomass or prevent it from directly contacting cementitious materials. This review can provide some guidance for designing sustainable cementitious materials with lignocellulosic biomass.

Berberine, as a natural alkaloid compound, is characterized by a diversity of pharmacological effects. In recent years, many researches focused on the role of berberine in central nervous system diseases. Among them, the effect of berberine on neurodegenerative diseases has received widespread attention, for example Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and so on. Recent evidence suggests that berberine inhibits the production of neuroinflammation, oxidative, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. These effects can further reduce neuron damage and apoptosis. Although the current research has made some progress, its specific mechanism still needs to be further explored. This review provides an overview of berberine in neurodegenerative diseases and its related mechanisms, and also provides new ideas for future research on berberine.

The unreasonable accumulation of coal gangue in mining areas has caused serious resource waste and environmental pollution. The functional utilization of coal gangue with high added value has become the key to solving the previous problem. Coal gangue has inherent advantages such as large specific surface areas and rich active components, giving rise to an excellent precursor of electrode material in electrochemical energy storage devices. Herein, we, firstly, fabricated an amorphous SiCX/SiOX electrocatalyst with an abundant oxygen vacancy by acid–alkali activation derived from coal gangue for advanced Li-O2 batteries. The in-depth experimental results coupled with an in situ characterization analysis revealed that the amorphous SiCX/SiOX layer with abundant functional groups and oxygen vacancies on the surface of the activated gangue was conducive to promote structural stability and to improve the formation/decomposition efficiency of discharged products (Li2O2). Therefore, the LOBs based on the activated coal gangue electrocatalyst delivered a low overpotential of 1.12 V, high discharge capacity of 9156 mAh g−1, and an improved cyclic stability (more than 350 h). This work can provide a new approach for the development of new functions of coal gangue.

Sucrose nonfermenting 2 (Snf2) family proteins are the core component of chromatin remodeling complexes that can alter chromatin structure and nucleosome position by utilizing the energy of ATP, playing a vital role in transcription regulation, DNA replication, and DNA damage repair. Snf2 family proteins have been characterized in various species including plants, and they have been found to regulate development and stress responses in Arabidopsis. Soybean (Glycine max) is an important food and economic crop worldwide, unlike other non-leguminous crops, soybeans can form a symbiotic relationship with rhizobia for biological nitrogen fixation. However, little is known about Snf2 family proteins in soybean. In this study, we identified 66 Snf2 family genes in soybean that could be classified into six groups like Arabidopsis, unevenly distributed on 20 soybean chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis with Arabidopsis revealed that these 66 Snf2 family genes could be divided into 18 subfamilies. Collinear analysis showed that segmental duplication was the main mechanism for expansion of Snf2 genes rather than tandem repeats. Further evolutionary analysis indicated that the duplicated gene pairs had undergone purifying selection. All Snf2 proteins contained seven domains, and each Snf2 protein had at least one SNF2_N domain and one Helicase_C domain. Promoter analysis revealed that most Snf2 genes had cis-elements associated with jasmonic acid, abscisic acid, and nodule specificity in their promoter regions. Microarray data and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis revealed that the expression profiles of most Snf2 family genes were detected in both root and nodule tissues, and some of them were found to be significantly downregulated after rhizobial infection. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the soybean Snf2 family genes and demonstrated their responsiveness to Rhizobia infection. This provides insight into the potential roles of Snf2 family genes in soybean symbiotic nodulation.

Metal-oxygen batteries (especially Li-O2 battery) with ultrahigh theoretical energy density are of great promise for long-range vehicle electrification. However, the limited enduring stability and low-rate property further restricted the large-scale commercial application of metal-oxygen batteries. We firstly report the fabrication of a TiOX@Ti3C2TX with multilayer structure and its utilization as cathode for Li-O2 batteries. The TiOX protective layer was fabricated in situ to directly optimize surface properties of Ti3C2TX, as well as to strengthen surface active functional groups. The initial discharge capacity of as-prepared TiOX@Ti3C2TX cathode reaches 7100 mAh g−1 at 2500 mA g−1, as well as delivers impressive cycling stability (>100 cycles) at 2500 mA g−1. Experimental analysis reveals that the in situ TiOX protective layer enhanced active functional-groups and the improved complete decomposition of discharge products Li2O2 are three critical factors for promoting the electrochemical performance of LOBs. This work exhibits a new insight into the design of MXene electrocatalysts for metal-oxygen batteries.

Modeling software was used to improve the efficiency of existing immersion freezing equipment. The concept of adding a rotating hopper device was proposed to make pork rotate with the rotating hopper in a flowing refrigerant carrier to achieve the effect of shortening the freezing time. In order to make up for the shortcomings of time-consuming processes and the limited information obtained from the measurement of the central temperature of pork, this paper establishes a mathematical model of the pre-freezing process using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software to simulate the three-dimensional unsteady state of the pork. The simulation results show that when the rotating hopper is stationary, the refrigerant circulation flow shortens the freezing speed by 490 s compared to the freezing speed in the stationary state of the refrigerant carrier, and the freezing time efficiency is improved by 9.5%. When the refrigerant carrier flow rate v = 0 m/s and when the hopper speed r = 2 rad/s, the central temperature of pork drops rapidly from 26 °C to −15 °C in 0~1250 s, the decline leveled off at 1250–2310 s, and finally dropped to −18 °C, requiring a total of 5410 s. The freezing time of the immersion and freezing equipment was reduced by 2830 s after the addition of the rotating device, improving efficiency by nearly 55%. When the rotation speed r is increased from 2 rad/s to 4 rad/s, the freezing time is shortened by 1290 s and the freezing efficiency is increased by nearly 53%. The addition of the rotating device will make the pork freezing effect more uniform.

Photobiomodulation using light in the red or near-infrared region is an innovative treatment strategy for a wide range of neurological and psychological conditions. Photobiomodulation can promote neurogenesis and elicit anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidative responses. Its therapeutic effects have been demonstrated in studies on neurological diseases, peripheral nerve injuries, pain relief and wound healing. We conducted a comprehensive literature review of the application of photobiomodulation in patients with central nervous system diseases in February 2019. The NCBI PubMed database, EMBASE database, Cochrane Library and ScienceDirect database were searched. We reviewed 95 papers and analyzed. Photobiomodulation has wide applicability in the treatment of stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, major depressive disorder, and other diseases. Our analysis provides preliminary evidence that PBM is an effective therapeutic tool for the treatment of central nervous system diseases. However, additional studies with adequate sample size are needed to optimize treatment parameters.

Several C2 domain-containing proteins play key roles in tumorigenesis, signal transduction, and mediating protein–protein interactions. Tandem C2 domains nuclear protein (TC2N) is a tandem C2 domain-containing protein that is differentially expressed in several types of cancers and is closely associated with tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Notably, TC2N has been identified as an oncogene in lung and gastric cancer but as a tumor suppressor gene in breast cancer. Recently, a large number of tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), such as heat shock proteins, alpha-fetoprotein, and carcinoembryonic antigen, have been identified in a variety of malignant tumors. Differences in the expression levels of TAAs between cancer cells and normal cells have led to these antigens being investigated as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and as novel targets in cancer treatment. In this review, we summarize the clinical characteristics of TC2N-positive cancers and potential mechanisms of action of TC2N in the occurrence and development of specific cancers. This article provides an exploration of TC2N as a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of different types of cancers.

Cost-effective reefs improve the yield of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicas cultured in ponds. The reaction to reef models was studied in laboratory experiments regarding selectivity and fitness-related behaviors (crawling, feeding and defecation) in different roughness (rough and smooth), angles (30°, 60° and 90°) and heights (3.5, 7, 10.5 and 14 cm). The present study found that significantly more sea cucumbers selected the rough model, with significantly better crawling frequency, tentacles activity frequency and defecation behavior compared with those on the smooth model. This indicates that rough materials in artificial reefs are appropriate for the fitness-related behaviors of sea cucumbers. Regarding the angles, the 30° model attracted significantly more sea cucumbers than those of 60° and 90°. Among the three angles, sea cucumbers in the 30° model showed significantly better defecation behavior, while showed higher frequencies of crawling and tentacles activity in comparison with the 90° model. In other words, the models of 30° and 60° serve as the ''toilet'' and the ''kitchen'' of sea cucumbers better in defecation and food intake. No significant difference was found in the number of sea cucumbers selecting any model of three heights. The 7-cm model sees significantly higher frequencies of crawling and tentacles activity than the ones of 3.5 and 14 cm. These results indicate that the higher reef may not necessarily be valuable in the pond culture and a shorter one may help boost the feeding efficiency of sea cucumbers.

Sex-specific markers play an important role in revealing sex-determination mechanism. Sea urchin (Mesocentrotus nudus) is an economically important mariculture species in several Asian countries and its gonads are the sole edible parts for people. However, growth rate and immunocompetence differ by sex in this species, sex-specific markers have not been identified, and the sex-determination mechanism of sea urchin remains undetermined. In this study, type IIB endonuclease restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (2b-RAD-seq) and a genome survey of M. nudus were performed, and three female-specific markers and three female heterogametic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci were identified. We validated these sex-specific markers via PCR amplification in a large number of individuals, including wild and artificially bred populations. Several open reading frames (ORFs) were predicted, although there are no potential genes known for sex determination and sex differentiation within the scaffold in which the sex-specific markers are located. Importantly, the female-specific sequences and female heterozygous SNP loci indicate that a female heterogametic and male homogametic ZW/ZZ sex-determination system should exist in M. nudus. The results provide a solid basis for revealing the sex-determination mechanism of this species, and open up new possibilities for developing sex-control breeding in sea urchin.

This study investigates the fresh and mechanical properties of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) reinforced by synthetic polymer fibers. The influence of hybrid fiber reinforcement on these properties and the effect of fiber manufacturing method are reported. Eight mixtures on which seven are reinforced with a fiber volume fraction of 1% with varied percent of macro and microfibers are investigated. The concrete density, filling ability, passing ability, segregation, compressive strength, and splitting tensile strength are recorded. The test results showed that the higher the macro fibers in the mixture, the denser the concrete and the less macro fibers in the hybridization, the higher the slump flow. For mixtures with hybrid fibers, the compressive strength decreases with increasing microfiber percent. The combination of macro and microfibers achieved higher tensile strength than the single fiber mixture. The research also found that when compared with concrete reinforced with monofilament polypropylene fibers, concrete reinforced with a collated fibrillated fiber is less flowable with less passing ability, lower compressive and splitting tensile strength. Multivariable regression was also conducted for all investigated properties to optimize the volume fraction for each fiber type.

Packaging that is currently used for aero-engine precision bearings faces several issues, such as insufficient cushioning performance, insufficient sealing performance, and poor visibility. Herein, we propose a new method in which the bearings are fully covered with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Samples were prepared for tensile and moisture-permeability tests according to the optimum ratio 10:1 (PDMS: Curing agent) of PDMS provided in the literature. The stress and strain curves of PDMS were then obtained via the tensile test. Additionally, the permeability of a polyethylene/polyamide composite film (the packaging material currently used) and PDMS were compared via a moisture-permeability test. According to the test results, the cushioning coefficient of silicone was 1.9, and the minimum thickness of the pad was 12 mm. Using a finite-element software, the bearing stress of the buffer pad was compared for thicknesses of 7, 12, 17, and 22 mm. The simulation results indicated that the liner with a pad thickness of 12 mm provided the optimal protection and economy. According to the simulation results, the precision bearing is packed in such a manner that it is fully enclosed, and the suitability of the proposed method wherein the PDMS material is used as a cushion pad was verified by simulating a drop test of the product during transportation. When the thickness of the PDMS cushion was 12 mm, the shock acceleration of the bearing was 2. Thus, the proposed method can successfully protect aero-engine precision bearings.

Internal curing can help to improve the durability of concrete by preventing and minimizing initial cracks due to autogenous shrinkage and plastic shrinkage. Using a reliable internal curing agent is essential to the effectiveness of the internal curing process. This paper investigates the reaction kinetics of a starch graft anionic/nonionic-type polymer. The results demonstrate that initiator monomer concentration, and starch concentration are positively correlated with graft reaction rate Rp. Based on the research, the kinetics equation of this cassava starch graft anionic/nonionic-type polymer has also been developed, which coincides well with the law of free radical polymerization. The obtained Rp equation is a first-order dependence of the monomer concentration and the square root of the initiator concentration. And Rp is further correlated to the reaction temperature based on a sigmoid function instead of a linear function. It is also found that the polymerization reaction is characterized by the coexisted disproportion termination and coupling termination.

Fresh properties of concrete are closely related to operation and construction, such as transporting, placing, compacting, etc.; and they also have a great impact on the lifetime performance of concrete. In this paper, the influence of Diatomaceous Earth (DE) as a natural pozzolan on fresh properties of cement pastes has been investigated. Cement pastes with different water-to-binder ratios (w/b=0.4, 0.5 and 0.6) and 0%, 2%, 6% and 10% replacement levels of DE by weight of cement were studied. Viscosity, yield stress, flow diameter, bleeding, setting times, and the heat evolution of all cement pastes were measured. Results showed that DE has a significant impact on fresh properties of cement pastes. Increasing DE content in cement pastes resulted in higher viscosity and lower flow diameters. Pastes with higher DE replacement levels showed lower bleeding rate and shorter initial and final setting times. The isothermal calorimetry test also showed that, as a pozzolanic material, DE lowered the heat of hydration, however, it advanced the appearance of the heat evolution peaks which was in agreement with the results from setting time tests.

The density of tar vapor and water vapor produced by coal pyrolysis is different. Different centrifugal forces will be generated when they flow through the hydrocyclone. The water vapor and tar vapor are divided into inner and outer layers. According to this phenomenon, the moisture in the tar can be removed. In this paper, a Eulerian gas–liquid two-phase flow model is established by numerical simulation to study the effect of inlet velocity on the separation effect of a designed hydrocyclone (split ratio 0.2). The results show that the inlet velocity and moisture content have an influence on the volume distribution characteristics, tangential velocity, axial velocity, pressure drop distribution, and separation efficiency of tar vapor and water vapor in the hydrocyclone. When the inlet velocity increases from 2.0 to 12.0 m/s, the central swirl intensity increases, and the negative pressure sweep range at the overflow outlet increases. The axial velocity increased from 2.8 to 14.9 m/s, tar vapor content at the overflow outlet decreased from 74% to 37%, and at the underflow outlet increased from 89% to 92%. When the moisture content is lower than 10%, the hydrocyclone with the split ratio of 0.20 is no longer suitable for the separation of oil–water two-phase vapor. However, when the water content is higher than 20%, the purity of tar vapor at the underflow outlet can reach 92%, and the overflow outlet needs multistage separation to realize tar purification.

Mesaconitine (MA), a diester-diterpenoid alkaloid in aconite roots, is considered to be one of the most important bioactive ingredients. In this review, we summarized its neuropharmacological effects, including analgesic effects and antiepileptiform effects. Mesaconitine can act on the central noradrenergic system and the serotonin system; behaving like the norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants that increase norepinephrine levels in stress-induced depression. Therefore, the possible perspectives for future studies on the depression of MA were also discussed as well. The pharmacological effect of MA on depression is worthy of further study.

The RIQ gene can optimize the structure of light-harvesting complex II by regulating the degree of granum stacking, and ultimately participates in plant light stress responses. The GmRIQ2 gene contributes to plant photoprotection and may be involved in negative regulation of yield. To understand the regulatory mechanisms of GmRIQ2 expression, we isolated the GmRIQ2 promoter (PGmRIQ2) from the KenFeng 16 soybean genome. Sequence analysis showed that several cis-acting elements were involved in hormone responsiveness, seed-specific regulation, anaerobic induction and light responsiveness. PGmRIQ2 was expressed in soybean roots. GUS activity was detected in Arabidopsis thaliana rosette leaves, stems and roots, indicating that PGmRIQ2 tended to drive expression in rosette leaf vascular tissue and had spatiotemporal expression characteristics at the early growth stage. Three promoter deletion fragments of 450 bp, 284 bp and 194 bp were obtained by 5′ deletion. These three fragments all drove GUS gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana rosette leaves, stems and roots. GUS gene expression decreased with deletion fragment truncation. In addition, the PGmRIQ2 auxin (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) response elements were located at base pairs −1661~−450, −450~−284 and −284~−194, respectively, and the promoter was induced by IAA, ABA, MeJA and light.

Abstract Fiber laser hydrophones have got widespread concerns due to the unique advantages and broad application prospects. In this paper, the research results of the eight-element multiplexed fiber laser acoustic pressure array and the interrogation system are introduced, containing low-noise distributed feedback fiber laser (DFB-FL) fabrication, sensitivity enhancement packaging, and interferometric signal demodulation. The frequency response range of the system is 10Hz–10kHz, the laser frequency acoustic pressure sensitivity reaches 115 dB re Hz/Pa, and the equivalent noise acoustic pressure is less than 60μPa/Hz1/2. The dynamic range of the system is greater than 120 dB.

The development of the concrete industry is always accompanied by some environmental issues such as global warming and energy consumption. Under this circumstance, the application of nanocellulose in cementitious materials is attracting more and more attention in recent years not only because of its renewability and sustainability but also because of its unique properties. To trace the research progress and provide some guidance for future research, the application of nanocellulose to cementitious materials is reviewed. Specifically, the effects of cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), cellulose nanofibril (CNF), bacterial cellulose (BC), and cellulose filament (CF) on the physical and fresh properties, hydration, mechanical properties, microstructure, rheology, shrinkage, and durability of cementitious materials are summarized. It can be seen that the type, dosage, and dispersion of nanocellulose, and even the cementitious matrix type can lead to different results. Moreover, in this review, some unexplored topics are highlighted and remain to be further studied. Lastly, the major challenge of nanocellulose dispersion, related to the effectiveness of nanocellulose in cementitious materials, is examined in detail.

Lipid A is an essential basal component of lipopolysaccharide of most Gram-negative bacteria. Inhibitors targeting LpxC, a conserved enzyme in lipid A biosynthesis, are antibiotic candidates against Gram-negative pathogens. Here we report the characterization of the role of lipid A in Coxiella burnetii growth in axenic media, monkey kidney cells (BGMK and Vero), and macrophage-like THP-1 cells by using a potent LpxC inhibitor -LPC-011. We first determined the susceptibility of C. burnetii LpxC to LPC-011 in a surrogate E. coli model. In E. coli, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of LPC-011 against C. burnetii LpxC is < 0.05 μg/mL, a value lower than the inhibitor's MIC against E. coli LpxC. Considering the inhibitor's problematic pharmacokinetic properties in vivo and Coxiella's culturing time up to 7 days, the stability of LPC-011 in cell cultures was assessed. We found that regularly changing inhibitor-containing media was required for sustained inhibition of C. burnetii LpxC in cells. Under inhibitor treatment, Coxiella has reduced growth yields in axenic media and during replication in non-phagocytic cells, and has a reduced number of productive vacuoles in such cells. Inhibiting lipid A biosynthesis in C. burnetii by the inhibitor was shown in a phase II strain transformed with chlamydial kdtA. This exogenous KdtA enzyme modifies Coxiella lipid A with an α-Kdo-(2 → 8)-α-Kdo epitope that can be detected by anti-chlamydia genus antibodies. In inhibitor-treated THP-1 cells, Coxiella shows severe growth defects characterized by poor vacuole formation and low growth yields. Coxiella progenies prepared from inhibitor-treated cells retain the capability of normally infecting all tested cells in the absence of the inhibitor, which suggests a dispensable role of lipid A for infection and early vacuole development. In conclusion, our data suggest that lipid A has significance for optimal development of Coxiella-containing vacuoles, and for robust multiplication of C. burnetii in macrophage-like THP-1 cells. Unlike many bacteria, C. burnetii replication in axenic media and non-phagocytic cells was less dependent on normal lipid A biosynthesis.

In this work, polylactic acid (PLA) biocomposites reinforced with short coir fibers were fabricated using a corotating twin-screw extruder and injection molding machine. Short coir fibers were treated by mixed solution including hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydroxide to improve the adhesion between fibers and PLA matrix. The effects of treated coir fiber content (1, 3, 5, and 7 wt%) on tensile, impact, thermal properties, and surface morphology of PLA biocomposites were investigated. The best impact strength results were obtained for 3 wt% PLA/treated coir fiber biocomposites, where the impact strength was increased by approximately 28% compared to the neat PLA. The tensile modulus of PLA biocomposites was increased by increasing the treated coir fiber content. These results were confirmed by morphological structure analysis. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results demonstrated a minor effect of the treated coir fiber on thermal behavior of PLA resin. Thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) demonstrated that the thermal stability of the PLA/treated coir fiber biocomposites was reduced by the incorporation of treated coir fiber.

Objective: To study the effect of Lactobacillus sp. A-2 metabolites on viability of CAL-27 cells and apoptosis in CAL-27 cells. Methods: Lactobacillus sp. A-2 metabolites 1 and 2 (LM1 and LM2) were obtained by culturing Lactobacillus sp. A-2 in reconstituted whey medium and whey-inulin medium; the cultured CAL-27 cells were treated with different concentrations of LM1 and LM2 (0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 mg/mL) and assayed by methyl thiazolyltetrazolium (MTT) method; morphological changes of apoptotic cell were observed under fluorescence microscopy by acridine orange (Ao) fluorescent staining; flow cytometry method (FCM) and agarose gel electrophoresis were used to detect the apoptosis of CAL-27 cells treated LM1 and LM2. Results: The different concentrations of LM1 and LM2 could restrain the growth of CAL-27 cells, and in a dose-dependent manner; the apoptosis of CAL-27 cells was obviously induced and was time-dependent. Conclusions: Viability of CAL-27 cells was inhibited by Lactobacillus sp. A-2 metabolites; Lactobacillus sp. A-2 metabolites could induce CAL-27 cells apoptosis; study on the bioactive compounds in the Lactobacillus sp. A-2 metabolites and their molecular mechanism is in progress.

We have examined the effects of temperature, stress, and grain size on the creep process including creep strain, crystal structure, dislocations and diffusions of nanocrystalline NiAl alloy through molecular dynamics simulations. A smaller grain size accelerates the creep process due to the large volume fraction of grain boundaries. Higher temperatures and stress levels also speed up this process in terms of dislocation changes and atom diffusion. In both primary creep and steady-state creep stages, atomic diffusion at the grain boundary could be seen and the dislocation density increased gradually, indicating that the creep mechanism at these stages is Coble creep controlled by grain boundary diffusion while accompanied by dislocation nucleation. When the model enters the tertiary creep stage, it can be observed that the diffusion of atoms in the grain boundary and in the crystal and the dislocation density gradually decreases, implying that the creep mechanisms at this stage are Coble creep, controlled by grain boundary diffusion, and Nabarro−Herring creep, controlled by lattice diffusion.

Boron nitride honeycomb structure is a new three-dimensional material similar to carbon honeycomb, which has attracted a great deal of attention due to its special structure and properties. In this paper, the tensile mechanical properties of boron nitride honeycomb structures in the zigzag, armchair and axial directions are studied at room temperature by using molecular dynamics simulations. Effects of temperature and strain rate on mechanical properties are also discussed. According to the observed tensile mechanical properties, the piezoelectric effect in the zigzag direction was analyzed for boron nitride honeycomb structures. The obtained results showed that the failure strains of boron nitride honeycomb structures under tensile loading were up to 0.83, 0.78 and 0.55 in the armchair, zigzag and axial directions, respectively, at room temperature. These findings indicated that boron nitride honeycomb structures have excellent ductility at room temperature. Moreover, temperature had a significant effect on the mechanical and tensile mechanical properties of boron nitride honeycomb structures, which can be improved by lowering the temperature within a certain range. In addition, strain rate affected the maximum tensile strength and failure strain of boron nitride honeycomb structures. Furthermore, due to the unique polarization of boron nitride honeycomb structures, they possessed an excellent piezoelectric effect. The piezoelectric coefficient e obtained from molecular dynamics was 0.702 C / m 2 , which was lower than that of the monolayer boron nitride honeycomb structures, e = 0.79 C / m 2 . Such excellent piezoelectric properties and failure strain detected in boron nitride honeycomb structures suggest a broad prospect for the application of these new materials in novel nanodevices with ultrahigh tensile mechanical properties and ultralight-weight materials.

Bidimensional empirical mode decomposition (BEMD) algorithm, with high adaptive ability, provides a suitable tool for the noisy image processing, and, however, the edge effect involved in its operation gives rise to a problem—how to obtain reliable decomposition results to effectively remove noises from the image. Accordingly, we propose an approach to deal with the edge effect caused by BEMD in the decomposition of an image signal and then to enhance its denoising performance. This approach includes two steps, in which the first one is an extrapolation operation through the regression model constructed by the support vector machine (SVM) method with high generalization ability, based on the information of the original signal, and the second is an expansion by the closed-end mirror expansion technique with respect to the extrema nearest to and beyond the edge of the data resulting from the first operation. Applications to remove the Gaussian white noise, salt and pepper noise, and random noise from the noisy images show that the edge effect of the BEMD can be improved effectively by the proposed approach to meet requirement of the reliable decomposition results. They also illustrate a good denoising effect of the BEMD by improving the edge effect on the basis of the proposed approach. Additionally, the denoised image preserves information details sufficiently and also enlarges the peak signal-to-noise ratio.

Recently, studies have shown that serotonin plays an important role in the control of seizure. However, the specific role of 5-HT receptor subtypes is not yet well described, in particular that of the 5-HT3 receptor. The present study was aimed to investigate the role of 5-HT3 receptor on the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizure in mice. Firstly, seizure latency was significantly prolonged by a 5-HT3 receptor agonist SR 57227 in a dose-dependent manner. Seizure score and mortality were also decreased by SR 57227 in PTZ-treated mice. Furthermore, these anticonvulsant effects of SR 57227 were inhibited by a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron. However, ondansetron alone had no effect on seizure latency, seizure score or mortality at different doses. Immunohistochemical studies have also shown that c-Fos expression was significantly increased in hippocampus (dentate gyrus, CA1, CA3 and CA4) of PTZ-treated mice. Furthermore, c-Fos expression was significantly inhibited by ondansetron in mice treated with PTZ and SR 57227. An ELISA study showed that SR 57227 attenuated the PTZ-induced inhibitory effects of GABA levels in hippocampus and cortex, and the attenuated effects of SR 57227 were antagonized by ondansetron in hippocampus but not cortex. Our findings suggest that activation of 5-HT3 receptor by SR 57227, which plays an important role on the control of seizure induced by PTZ, may be related to GABA activity in hippocampus. Therefore, 5-HT3 receptor subtype is a potential target for the treatment of epilepsy.

To identify the optimal deformation parameters for 316LN austenitic stainless steel, it is necessary to study the macroscopic deformation and the microstructural evolution behavior simultaneously in order to ascertain the relationship between the two. Isothermal uniaxial compression tests of 316LN were conducted over the temperature range of 950–1150 °C and for the strain rate range of 0.001–10 s−1 using a Gleeble-1500 thermal-mechanical simulator. The microstructural evolution during deformation processes was investigated by studying the constitutive law and dynamic recrystallization behaviors. Dynamic recrystallization volume fraction was introduced to reveal the power dissipation during the microstructural evolution. Processing maps were developed based on the effects of various temperatures, strain rates, and strains, which suggests that power dissipation efficiency increases gradually with increasing temperature and decreasing stain rate. Optimum regimes for the hot deformation of 316LN stainless steel were revealed on conventional hot processing maps and verified effectively through the examination of the microstructure. In addition, the regimes for defects of the product were also interpreted on the conventional hot processing maps. The developed power dissipation efficiency maps allow optimized processing routes to be selected, thus enabling industry producers to effectively control forming variables to enhance practical production process efficiency.

TDP-43 and FUS are RNA-binding proteins that form cytoplasmic inclusions in some forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Moreover, mutations in TDP-43 and FUS are linked to ALS and FTLD. However, it is unknown whether TDP-43 and FUS aggregate and cause toxicity by similar mechanisms. Here, we exploit a yeast model and purified FUS to elucidate mechanisms of FUS aggregation and toxicity. Like TDP-43, FUS must aggregate in the cytoplasm and bind RNA to confer toxicity in yeast. These cytoplasmic FUS aggregates partition to stress granule compartments just as they do in ALS patients. Importantly, in isolation, FUS spontaneously forms pore-like oligomers and filamentous structures reminiscent of FUS inclusions in ALS patients. FUS aggregation and toxicity requires a prion-like domain, but unlike TDP-43, additional determinants within a RGG domain are critical for FUS aggregation and toxicity. In further distinction to TDP-43, ALS-linked FUS mutations do not promote aggregation. Finally, genome-wide screens uncovered stress granule assembly and RNA metabolism genes that modify FUS toxicity but not TDP-43 toxicity. Our findings suggest that TDP-43 and FUS, though similar RNA-binding proteins, aggregate and confer disease phenotypes via distinct mechanisms. These differences will likely have important therapeutic implications.

According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease (CVD) has become a major cause of chronic illness around the globe. It has been reported that soy-based fermented food (SFF) is very effective in preventing thrombus (one of the most important contributing factors to CVD), which are mainly attributed to the bioactive substances, especially the fibrinolytic enzymes (FE) generated by microorganisms during the fermentation process of soybean food. This paper therefore mainly reviewed the microbial fibrinolytic enzymes (MFE) from SFF. We first discuss the use of microbial fermentation to produce FE, with an emphasis on the strains involved. The production, purification, physicochemical properties, structure-functional attributes, functional properties and possible application of MFE from SFF are then discussed. Finally, current limitations and future perspectives for the production, purification, and the practical application of MFE are discussed. MFE from SFF pose multiple health benefits, including thrombolysis, antihypertension, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemia, anticancer, neuroprotective, antiviral and other activities. Therefore, they exhibit great potential for functional foods and nutraceutical applications, especially foods with CVDs prevention potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]